Golf car under seat removable and portable storage tote bag

Abstract

A removable and portable storage tote for an under seat storage system that comprises a front side constructed of a pliable material, a back side constructed of the pliable material, a left side constructed of the pliable material, a right side constructed of the pliable material, a bottom connected to the front side, the back side, the left side and the right side, and a top side constructed of a pliable material, that is hingedly connected to the back side and selectively connectable to the left side, right side and front. The storage tote additionally comprises a plurality of tether mechanisms attached to at least one of the front side, back side, left side and right side that are structured and operable to removably retain the tote within a cavity beneath a seat of a vehicle.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method for removably stowing a portable storage tote of an under seat storage system within an interior cavity disposed under a seat of a vehicle within a seat pedestal of the vehicle, wherein the tote comprises:
 a front side constructed of a pliable material; 
 a back side constructed of the pliable material; 
 a left side constructed of the pliable material; 
 a right side constructed of the pliable material; 
 a bottom connected to the front side, the back side, the left side and the right side; 
 a top side constructed of a pliable material, hingedly connected to the back side and selectively connectable to the left side, right side and front side to provide an enclosed stowage space defined by the front, back, left, right bottom and top sides; and 
 a plurality of flexible tether mechanisms attached to at least one of the front side, back side, left side and right side, said method comprising 
 stowing the storage tote within the interior cavity under a seat of a vehicle by connecting the plurality of flexible tether mechanisms to a plurality of connector devices mounted to structure of the vehicle within the interior cavity to retain the tote within the cavity beneath the seat of the vehicle. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1  wherein each tether mechanism is an auto-retractable tether mechanism comprising:
 an auto-retractable strap that is attached to the at least one of the front side, back side, left side and right side at a proximal end thereof within a respective one of a plurality of tether strap pockets formed on an exterior of the at least one of the front side, back side, left side and right side, wherein the auto-retractable strap is structured and operable automatically retract within the respective one of the plurality of tether strap pockets; and 
 a fixation device attached to a distal end of the auto-retractable, 
 wherein connecting the plurality of auto-retractable tether mechanisms to a plurality of connector devices comprises withdrawing each auto-retractable strap from within a respective one of the plurality of tether strap pockets and connecting the respective fixation device to a respective one of the plurality of connector devices disposed within vehicle. 
 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 2  further comprising
 removing the storage tote from within the interior cavity under a seat of a vehicle by disconnecting each fixation device from the respective connector devices mounted to structure of the vehicle within the interior cavity, and 
 allowing the auto-retractable strap of each auto-retractable tether mechanisms to automatically retract within the respective one of the plurality of tether strap pockets. 
 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the front side, back side, left side, right side and top side comprise a plurality of layers of waterproof pliable material having a thermally insulative material disposed between the layers. 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the bottom is connected to the front side, the back side, the left side and the right side in a water-tight, leak-proof manner, 
 the left side and right side are one of connected to and integrally formed with the front side and the back side in a water-tight, leak-proof manner, and 
 the top side is hingedly connected to the back side and selectively connectable to the left side, right side and front side in a water-tight, leak-proof manner to define an enclosed water-tight, leak-proof interior stowage space of the tote. 
 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 1  further comprises at least one of a plurality of carrying handles and a shoulder strap that are structured and operable to allow the storage tote to be hand transported to a remote location. 
     
     
       7. An under seat storage system of a vehicle, said system comprising:
 a plurality of connector devices disposed within an interior cavity of a seat pedestal of a vehicle and mounted to structure of the vehicle within the interior cavity of the vehicle; and 
 a removable and portable storage tote disposable within the interior cavity of the seat pedestal and removably securable to the connector devices, said tote comprising:
 a front side constructed of a pliable material; 
 a back side constructed of the pliable material; 
 a left side constructed of the pliable material; 
 a right side constructed of the pliable material; 
 a bottom connected to the front side, the back side, the left side and the right side; 
 a top side constructed of a pliable material, hingedly connected to the back side and selectively connectable to the left side, right side and front side to provide an enclosed stowage space defined by the front, back, left, right bottom and top sides; and 
 a plurality of tether mechanisms attached to at least one of the front side, back side, left side and right side that are structured and operable to removably connect with the connector devices to removably secure the tote within the interior cavity the seat pedestal. 
 
 
     
     
       8. The system of  claim 7 , wherein each tether mechanism comprises:
 a strap that is attached to the at least one of the front side, back side, left side and right side at a proximal end thereof; and 
 a fixation device attached to a distal end of the strap and structured and operable to removably connect to a respective one of the connector devices. 
 
     
     
       9. The system of  claim 8 , wherein the tote further comprises a plurality of tether strap pockets formed on an exterior of the at least one of the front side, back side, left side and right side and each tether strap is attached to the at least one of the front side, back side, left side and right side within a respective one of the tether strap pockets. 
     
     
       10. The system of  claim 9 , wherein each tether strap is retractably connected within the respective one of the plurality of tether strap pockets. 
     
     
       11. The system of  claim 7 , wherein the front side, back side, left side, right side and top side comprise a plurality of layers of waterproof pliable material having a thermally insulative material disposed between the layers. 
     
     
       12. The system of  claim 7 , wherein:
 the bottom is connected to the front side, the back side, the left side and the right side in a water-tight, leak-proof manner, 
 the left side and right side are one of connected to and integrally formed with the front side and the back side in a water-tight, leak-proof manner, and 
 the top side is hingedly connected to the back side and selectively connectable to the left side, right side and front side in a water-tight, leak-proof manner to define an enclosed water-tight, leak-proof interior stowage space of the tote. 
 
     
     
       13. The system of  claim 7 , wherein the removable and portable storage tote further comprises at least one of a plurality of carrying handles and a shoulder strap that are structured and operable to allow the storage tote to be hand transported to a remote location. 
     
     
       14. A vehicle, said vehicle comprising:
 a passenger compartment, the passenger compartment comprising:
 a dash console; 
 a floorboard; 
 a seat pedestal; and 
 a passenger seating structure supported by the seat pedestal; and 
 
 an under seat storage system, the system comprising:
 a plurality of connector devices mounted to structure of the vehicle within an interior cavity defined by the seat pedestal and disposed under the seating structure; and 
 a removable and portable storage tote disposable within the interior cavity of the seat pedestal and removably securable to the connector devices, said tote comprising:
 a front side constructed of a pliable material; 
 a back side constructed of the pliable material; 
 a left side constructed of the pliable material; 
 a right side constructed of the pliable material; 
 a bottom connected to the front side, the back side, the left side and the right side; 
 a top side constructed of a pliable material, hingedly connected to the back side and selectively connectable to the left side, right side and front side to provide an enclosed stowage space defined by the front, back, left, right bottom and top sides; and 
 a plurality of tether mechanisms attached to at least one of the front side, back side, left side and right side that are structured and operable to removably connect with the connector devices to removably secure the tote within the interior cavity the seat pedestal. 
 
 
 
     
     
       15. The vehicle of  claim 14 , wherein each tether mechanism comprises:
 a strap that is attached to the at least one of the front side, back side, left side and right side at a proximal end thereof; and 
 a fixation device attached to a distal end of the strap and structured and operable to removably connect to a respective one of the connector devices. 
 
     
     
       16. The vehicle of  claim 15 , wherein the tote further comprises a plurality of tether strap pockets formed on an exterior of the at least one of the front side, back side, left side and right side and each tether strap is attached to the at least one of the front side, back side, left side and right side within a respective one of the tether strap pockets. 
     
     
       17. The vehicle of  claim 16 , wherein each tether strap is retractably connected within the respective one of the plurality of tether strap pockets. 
     
     
       18. The vehicle of  claim 14 , wherein the front side, back side, left side, right side and top side comprise a plurality of layers of waterproof pliable material having a thermally insulative material disposed between the layers. 
     
     
       19. The vehicle of  claim 14 , wherein:
 The tote bottom is connected to the front side, the back side, the left side and the right side of the tote in a water-tight, leak-proof manner, 
 the left side and right side are one of connected to and integrally formed with the front side and the back side in a water-tight, leak-proof manner, and 
 the top side is hingedly connected to the back side and selectively connectable to the left side, right side and front side in a water-tight, leak-proof manner to define an enclosed water-tight, leak-proof interior stowage space of the tote.